Students at about 20 high schools here plan to walk out of class at various times on Thursday to protest gun violence and other ills in schools.

Responding to the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida that resulted in 17 deaths, the walkout is ahead of the 2,100 walkouts planned across the country as a part of national school walkout day on Friday — the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School, where 13 people were killed.